Legal Challenge Seeks To Halt Trump-Era Fast-Track Deportation Policy

News Americas, New York, NY, June 11, 2025: Immigrants’ rights organizations have taken legal action to block a controversial Trump-era deportation policy that fast-tracks removal proceedings, bypassing due process protections for undocumented individuals.

California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers arrest a demonstrator as protests continue in Los Angeles on June 10, 2025, following days of protests in response to federal immigration operations that saw clashes spread across downtown. The overnight curfew followed days of unrest sparked by federal immigration operations, with Mayor Karen Bass stating the measure aimed to “stop the vandalism, to stop the looting” after prolonged protests. (Photo by BENJAMIN HANSON/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images)

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the ACLU of the District of Columbia, and the New York Civil Liberties Union have filed a motion in federal court in Washington, D.C., seeking to halt the enforcement of the expedited removal policy while litigation continues. The lawsuit is being pursued on behalf of the immigrant advocacy group Make the Road New York.

Anti-ICE protesters block a military vehicle on June 10, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. A curfew is currently in place in part of downtown Los Angeles, with police saying they have begun arresting protesters Tuesday evening. (Photo by Zhang Shuo/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images)

The motion comes amid increasing reports of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents targeting immigrants at courthouses and scheduled appointments — individuals who are complying with legal requirements but are being detained and deported without a hearing.

“The Trump administration is using this illegal policy to fuel its mass deportation agenda and instill fear in immigrant communities,” said Anand Balakrishnan, senior staff attorney with the ACLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Project. “People who are complying with their legal obligations are basically being ambushed by ICE. The administration’s actions are unprecedented and lawless.”

Sienna Fontaine, co-executive director of Make the Road New York, emphasized the emotional and human toll of the policy: “We are seeing families ripped apart and people detained in deplorable conditions, subjected to a fast-track deportation system riddled with errors. This is a serious threat to our legal system.”

The policy expansion allows ICE to deport individuals without a hearing before an immigration judge, which the ACLU argues is a violation of due process rights guaranteed under the Constitution.

“The right to due process requires a full and fair hearing before depriving someone of an important interest,” said Aditi Shah, attorney with the ACLU of D.C. “The current system lacks basic procedural safeguards and is known for its history of errors.”

Donna Lieberman, executive director of the NYCLU, described the policy as “cruel” and “extremist,” warning that it puts “parents, workers, friends, and loved ones” at risk of wrongful deportation. “Everyone deserves a fair day in court when their future is on the line.”

Advocates are urging the court to immediately suspend the policy to protect immigrant communities and uphold the foundational principles of the U.S. legal system.